Vermillion and Gold
by KanaMac
Summary: Chihiro Ogino and Azusa Shiguma are world famous superstars. One day, Chihiro goes missing. Azusa finds her in the Spirit World. As soon as she arrives, things go crazy. Haku and Azusa are competing for Chihiro. Monsters are being created. Lives are lost. Love is found and betrayed. The girls can be reborn into something more powerful to save this world...


**This is a romantic adventure filled with happiness, jealousy, fear, and love. Hold on tight. It's gonna be the craziest ride of your life.**

Disclaimer: Spirited Away rightfully belongs to Hayao Miyazaki

Prologue

"Out of ashes

will rise a new phoenix.

A soaring being

returning from death

proving once again

that life is eternal.

I live forever

because the spirit

never dies.

I will return in another body

in another time

but it is me.

The me who is me now

will always be.

As long as I live

I learn

And I live

Forever."

- A poem by Carmen Colombo

And just like that, a new phoenix was reborn. It burns vermillion and gold.

Chapter 1: Find Her

To Azusa and my parents and friends. I'm sorry for leaving without any notice. Boss-thanks for helping me throughout my successful career. Mama and Dad-I couldn't ask for better parents than you. I love you both so much I fear my heart will burst. Azusa Shiguma-my fellow Olympian rival, my singing buddy, fashion model partner. Chase your dreams to wherever they lie. I love you too. He calls to me. Calling, calling. My wish does not lie here, but elsewhere. Therefore, I, Chihiro Ogino leaves you.

**Azusa**

Some may say I am too overprotective of Chihiro Ogino. True, but I don't want her to have obsessed fans who may harbor ill fantasies about her! Guys and boys? _Shudder. _This characteristic in me triggers paranoia, since it is day 6 since Chihiro vanished without a trace. Our Broadway musical was postphoned until then when she returns. Flashbacks of us comparing silks for frills of our costume haunts me to to no end. She was so lively and carefree, showing no sign of wanting to leave. I keep feeling that this is all my fault that she left.

Was is that time when she received last place in the 2002 Winter Olympics and I won third? She was so agitated, though her smile gave nothing away, it was her eyes. Oh, it's all my fault! I have failed as a friend and sister.

Then I felt rage.

I told her countless times that this was doing to be my favorite performance. I mean, it's Broadway! I told her how much I taking main role. Yet she just had to skip off and-

Her fans! What will their faces look like when they find their much beloved world famous superstar Chihiro missing? All hell will break loose!

Heavy torrents of despair wash over me. I glance through my veil of hair to my mourning boss. He despairs not for Chihiro, but for the less profit he will get from our performances. Chihiro and I are the main attractions. With one absent, we fall apart like a trail of dominoes.

Chihiro's songs are enchanting, no alluring. They drew the audience's attention. Her high, mellow soprano nearly outdid my strong alto-soprano. I remember Chihiro singing a depressing ballad in opera, telling her fans her sadness through that talented tongue. It took hours to dry the seats of tears and collect strewn about tissue papers.

A worn out voice catches my attention, "Azusa, it's no use. Chihiro Ogino has fell off the face of planet Earth." Boss's eyes are dull with the lack of sleep. "Without her, less money will be made and questions will be asked!"

My flashy hot temper sears through me at his words, blocking out any coherent thougts. I stomp around like a three year old who got her toy taken away. "If we don't find Chihiro, I quit everything! Olympics, singer, actress, model-everything!" I bellow unattractively.

Boss's eyes cloud over for a split second before his anger rises against my own."You cannot do that to me! I will be broke, then!"

"Like I care!"

**Slap!**

He strikes me- a brief stinging moment of betrayal and pain. He is strong, but not strong enough to move an athlete like me. My hands cup my prickling cheek on instinct. With intense self defense training since a toddler, I have had more fatal injuries than a mere slap. Yet anger rampages my brain cells and with it comes pain.

"I quit. Make the announcement." I hiss breathily, chest heaving with pent up rage. His lips open and close once like he wanted to say something, but doesn't.

Instead, he slams both meaty hands onto his desk, roaring, and begins tossing office supplies around my room like a man gone mad. Paperclips, files, writing utensils, bits of erasers fly. It's like a tornado raged in the room. After he finishes his tantrum, a heavy silence cloaks the room. He gets up and leaves, closing the door behind him so hard that the window pane shudders. I flinch. The silence is absolute, making me uneasy.

"Huh?"

A shimmer of dull light catches the peripheral of my vision. I crouch beside a file of photos and find a nice handmade hair tie wedged between last year's Russian fashion fiesta photos.

When I say a nice hair tie, I do mean it. It glitters an iris fuchsia hinted with silver. Individual threads braid the tire into an aesthetic arch. I've never seen such an ample purple hue.

It would make a good sash color that would go along with my white blouse.

I tie my hair with it...

I flash a my special dazzling grin at the cameras before composing myself in the single person hard leather sofa.

"Good morning all. As you know, Chihiro Ogino has sadly disappeared. Yesterday night, I was conversing with my staff and we came to a conclusion that I quit my job...well, maybe until she comes back? Maybe. I'm so sorry this is on such a short notice and this is very heartbreaking news to me as well to you. If you find Chihiro, contact us and thank you for all your support! I love you all!" I blow a kiss at the camera and take my leave.

My stylist hurries in and ushers me out of the room. She leads me to my own place where a steel gold disc in the shape of a star hangs with my name. I take it down reluctantly. I won't use it anymore.

Still silent, she helps me out of the satin and sparkles and undoes my clipped hair. I dip the corner of a soft square towel into a white basin filled with water and dab my face with it. The soothing wet sensation calms me.

I remember the hair tie and twist it into a knot around my pinky so tight I feel the blood stop circulating at the spot. The luster of the violet wavers when I tilt my hand at the softly glowing lamps. I see my stylist's puzzled frown int the mirror. I turn to her and arch my brow, asking silent questions.

"Is there something on your hand, Azusa?" Her bony hands take mine and trace every inch of flesh, even over the hair tie wrapped around my pinkie.

I clear my throat awkwardly. "I found this nice hair tie. Isn't it just the most gorgeous color ever?" I look into her questioning eyes.

Her hands travel to my scalp and she tousles me tattered blonde locks. "Where, dear? I must have forgotten to take it out." she clucks. "Silly, silly me."

I jolt. I raise my hand in front of her eyes. Wave it, shake it, hold up my pinkie to her eyes. She squints.

Irritated, I blurt, "It's wrapped around my finger-my pinkie. Can't you see it?!"

Her thin lips crease into a deeper frown. "No dear, I don't"

Is it just me or did the hair tie just tighten its sparkly purple grip on my finger? I must be hallucinating.

The hair tie would not come off my finger.

I've tried everything. Pulling it, cutting it, and even attempted to burn the strong indestructible strands. Nothing. It only resulted in charred fingertips. I'm a but scared now.

At the moment, I'm balled up at the edge of a platinum stool in my brother's kitchen. He lives alone in this city, usually avoiding paparazzi and the media. His place is classy and modern house. All the furniture is the latest style and material. There is a flat screen TV of the best company and he even has his robotic cat that he programed himself. Other than that, it's a lonely place. Except when his Hollywood actress girlfriend comes to visit. Then the mood lightens considerably and the house isn't so dim and dark like it is now.

"Azusa? I'm home." a gentle voice caresses me ear. I let a smile creep across my lips.

"Hey, Ryoske. Glad you're home. How's everything with your girlfriend?"

Ryoske saunters to the fridge. "Good."

He selects an Asahi beer. The tin hisses as he cracks it open. I watch as his throat bobs while he drinks. White foam clings to his lips. I snort in amusement. After he finishes chugging, he chucks the tin into the steel sink.

I wave the tied up finger at him to see if he is able to see it. My brother just looks at me as if I were crazy.

"What?" he finally asks.

"Ryoske..." Should I tell him about the hair tie?

_No. Yes! No. Yes!_

"'If I told you something crazy-totally out of this world- would you believe me?"

He looks at me incredulously. He chuckles. "Azusa, you left for America as just a little girl for seven years and came back as a model, singer, and Olympian champ who is known worldwide. I believed you then. What makes you think I won't believe in you now?"

"Will you tell me?" He persisits gently.

I only shake my head and look at my toes.

The digital clock changed to 3:32 AM. It was only I who stayed in the kitchen. My brother went to bed hours before. I could hear his moderately loud snores from the bedroom above. I scrutinized the shimmering hair tie with dulled interest. This must be the hundredth time I've examined the thick elastic strands that were black with shadows and how it twisted and were braided harmoniously together. It's so beautiful...

"HERE IT IS! I'VE FOUND IT, CHIHIRO!"

My forehead connects to the tabletop. Abrupt pain flashes before me, but the source of the overexcited voice distracts me from it.

4:00 AM

I must have fallen asleep.

I lift my head to look up. I gasp

There is a large mirror overhead on the wall with a plain bronze frame. The reflective surface ripples and shivers until an image of a fat grandma-type person with a VERY overly proportioned nose stared straight back at me. Thousands of creases and wrinkles create patterns in her aged skin. She wears an unattractive blue dress that looks more like a blue pumpkin. Her eyes bulge out of her head as well.

"See? She has it." The huge nosed lady talks to someone, pointing a heavily jeweled claw at me. I pray the ruckus doesn't wake up Ryoske.

A tall slender brunette girl with the beauty of a young rose replaces the old woman's appearance in the mirror. Her distracted brown eyes fall to my left hand with the hair tie that was STILL there. The eyes fly up to look at mt.

The world around me halts.

Those eyes.

Those eyes...

My breath hitches in my lungs. The girl's eyes widen.

Skin as white as snow...lips as red as blood...NOT Snow White, but close enough.

"Chihiro..." I hear myself murmur.

"Azusa..." my friend's voice is still sweet, my name is sung.


End file.
